Wet field keeps A's from playing

Updated 6:48 am, Saturday, April 5, 2014

The skies had cleared. The teams had warmed up. The crowd had gathered.

It was time for a baseball game.

Only it wasn't.

The A's and Coliseum took another PR hit when Friday night's game against the Mariners was called off because the infield was deemed unplayable, the result of an overnight rainstorm and failure to tarp the infield.

The series has two games remaining, and officials were hoping Saturday's - a scheduled 1:05 p.m. start - would be played. The postponed game will be made up later in the season. The Mariners return to Oakland on May 5-7 and Sept. 1-3.

"We came in wanting to play. It didn't work out," third baseman Josh Donaldson said. "You want to get in a routine, but everything that happened the first week is making it tougher. ... Looking forward to playing tomorrow."

Coliseum sewage problems are a national story, but the A's hadn't had a rainout at home since 1998 - until Tuesday, forcing Wednesday's day-night doubleheader. A's and Mariners players voted against a doubleheader this weekend, as is their right in the collective bargaining agreement.

Pitcher Dan Straily was pushed back a day and will start Saturday for the A's. The Mariners will start ace Felix Hernandez, who was slated to pitch Saturday all along.

Photo: Jeff Chiu, Associated Press

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Seattle Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon, bottom center, talks with umpire Jim Reynolds (77) and umpire Fieldin Culbreth (25) as members of the grounds crew work on the infield at O.co Coliseum before a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland, Calif., Friday, April 4, 2014. The game has been delayed for weather related conditions to the infield. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) less

Seattle Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon, bottom center, talks with umpire Jim Reynolds (77) and umpire Fieldin Culbreth (25) as members of the grounds crew work on the infield at O.co Coliseum before a ... more

Photo: Jeff Chiu, Associated Press

Wet field keeps A's from playing

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A's general manager Billy Beane called the cancellation an "unfortunate misinterpretation of the forecast."

David Rinetti, vice president of stadium operations, said the team's "weather consultant" informed the A's no storm was expected overnight, and grounds crew chief Clay Wood did not tarp the infield, preferring to further dry it out after recent rains.

"In the last week, we've had more rain at the facility than we had since I've been here," said Rinetti, an A's employee for 34 years. "The field has taken a big hit all week. ... Unfortunately, we were wrong on the amount of rain and got about a third of an inch of rain last night. We got here this morning, and the infield was under water.

"Our grounds crew worked tirelessly to get the field ready."

As game time approached, it was announced the game wouldn't start until 7:30 p.m. or 7:45 p.m. About 15 minutes after the scheduled first pitch, after umpires, managers and coaches examined the field, the cancellation was announced.

Fans booed long and loudly.

Asked for a comment, team owner Lew Wolff said in an e-mail, "I am very sorry this circumstance happened and I apologize to all our fans."

Tickets for the postponed game can be used for the makeup game, the A's said in a statement.